Costa should make it clear that cream or marshmallows cost extra

[Learc]

when buying hot chocolate.

We only really do things like visiting Costa, or any cafe, while on a holiday/short break or if we've had a really 💩 time (not just fed up, like horrible or traumatic stuff).

Just coming to say that the last two hot chocs I've got from Costa , the marshmallows were absolutely disgusting 🫣 for years the hot choc was delicious and now it tastes rotten.
They must be getting cheaper mallows to maximise profit. It has really ruined the hot choc. They probably thought people wouldn't notice but I won't be going back.

It’s deliberately unclear. And many customers will be elderly, have learning disabilities, not be able to see the flashing moving board clearly or only go to a cafe as an occasional treat rather than a regular habit. It’s often rushed and pressured. Yes for some of us it’s easy to ask or we already know, but it’s so weird people are proud of being worldly enough to know marshmallows cost extra that they are so rude about anyone who doesn’t. Shops and cafes used to be clearer about extra costs and it’s a deliberate choice not to be, and perfectly reasonable for people to object to, especially now that a hot drink costs nearly an hour’s wages for many people.

If I went into a cafe and ordered a toastie but wanted chips with it they wouldn't give them for free !
Everything has a cost , and they are only passing that on .

Nice use of the learning disabilities card. 🫣

Everywhere I’ve been they make it very clear

Is that the same though? That's clearly you identified you wanted an entire extra side to the item you ordered. A coffee shop asking if you want a topping on an already ridiculously priced hot drink whereby most of the advertising has the toppings included wouldn't necessarily be as obvious. Let's be real as well, the cream and marshmallows cost them peanuts, it's not like a massive bump to the cost of producing it. Their menus aren't overly accessible either- it's purposeful upselling; they could just as easily say "would you like cream and/or marshmallows for an extra ....p"? They don't because they know at least a portion of people won't know it costs more.

It's written on the menu.

It's common sense it would be extra. Of course adding cram and marshmallows would cost more, it's nothing like adding a splash of milk.

Nobody reads anything these days. It drives me nuts.

I have not RTFT but especially egregious when you are ordering for a child and they are asked if they want it

Yes, they should make the extra cost clear (either just telling you how much it is, or bringing back the old menu boards rather than the confusing rotating ones). I felt the rage in Caffè Nero once as I ordered a coffee and was asked ‘would you like the Colombian blend’ or some such, agreed as I didn’t really care what blend it was, then got charged an extra 40p at the till. They know what they’re doing. Coffee shops are outrageously expensive anyway - I used to go fairly often as a treat, about 15 years ago, but just can’t justify the cost now and take a thermos out with me instead.

I disagree.

When they ask “would you like chocolate powder on your cappuccino” in the exact same shop, they mean “without charge”. I got a cake in a small independent cafe yesterday and they asked if I wanted squirty cream on it, without charge. When you get a breakfast roll in Greggs they ask you if you want sauce on it, also without charge.

It creates an expectation for these sorts of places. It’s not like being in a restaurant and being asked if you want another course.

You would think so

It’s written in small print on the board

YANBU. It used to be included.

@Fairyliz same way people afford other things. They either have different priorities or earn more than you (or both).

Do not support Coca Cola. Do not go to Costa. Do not buy innocent smoothies.

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By having more money than you obviously.

@marmamumma
Nooe Starbucks still going strong in Australia, as far as I know the ones I go to are always busy. And Maccas coffee is just as bad, if not worse
the good thing here is that I don’t thing we get charged extra for cream but we do get slugged on Non dairy alternatives and if you order mocha, then that’s extra.
But I will always support my local cafe when I can as I hate the big chains, coffee is not very nice at all.

Is that a new card then? My son has JAM card that everyone has seen has ignored. A new one we could be handy 🙄

This one is my fault, I should have checked. But we popped into an independent coffee shop last weekend after a wet dog walk. I asked if they did a kids hot chocolate, they did. Brilliant.

I ordered 2 regular, 2 kids. It's only when I paid that I realised they actually charge full price for the kids hot chocolate. These had no cream or marshmallows. It cost £3.75 each. I expected the kids ones to be smaller but they were all very small.

Like I said, my fault, I should have checked the prices. But we never get drinks out, it was supposed to be a nice treat, I could have made nicer ones at home.

Sorry , I guess it's close to my heart as my parents for many years ran a coffee shop in the heart of Sydney ( Below centrepoint tower in the Imperial arcade for fellow Aussies. ). Not trying to be foodie. I'm not sure about the UK but we have had terrible problems with dodgy franchises here,in a lot of industries but mainly food.

They do say, it's on the menu board, clear as day.
When they ask if you want them, they aren't giving you them for free.

Sure, if you want to! It's Mumsnet you can chat about whatever you want.

FWIW I've always been asked about milk, but if they're assuming you want it and putting it in then I think that's a legitimate whinge!

These places are here to make money. It’s just a ploy to part you with your cash. And it works! Same with any coffee bigger than a regular size. It’s just extra hot water…

I remember when Starbucks actually used to be nice. 25 years ago! Whey it was Seattle Coffee Company, Latte or Mocha (real cream on top) plus a Blueberry Muffin or Cheesecake.

Less than a fiver for both, too! A real treat. Last time I went to Starbucks, half a mug of lukewarm sweet brown water, half a mug of squirty cream. Best part of five quid. Never again!

It’s standard upselling. The equivalent of the “would you like fries with that order?” I had to recite when I worked for McDonalds 30 years ago.
I tend to go to Costa as it has a no dogs policy. As someone with a dog allergy this is an important point. Even waiting for a takeaway in the independent cafe or Starbucks can be enough to start me wheezing. (I live near a canal which is very popular for dog walking)